Traffic lane dividers



April 9, 1963 H. GREENHILL 3,084,604

' TRAFFIC LANE DIVIDERS Filed Nov. 22, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ril 9, 1963 H. GREENHILL TRAFFIC LANE DIVIDERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i .m w I I. s 0 I i. I I l 1. a I 4 44/4 cm. I III 9. I I v I. NIN \i 4' H .1 A \/0 I H 0 n I H 1 I 1\ I I I |II h I j 4 f v 1 I 4 If I Filed Nov. 22, 1957 April 9, 1963 H. GREENHILL TRAFFIC LANE DIVIDERS 5'Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 22, 1957 United States Patent Q 3,084,604 TRAFFTC LANE DIVIDERS Hy Greenhill, Chicago, 111., assignor to Klemp Metal Grating Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 22, 1957, Ser. No. 698,300 4 Claims. (Cl. 94-15) This invention relates to improvements in traffic lane dividers.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a traffic lane divider which may be fabricated from bars or strips of metal and subsequently joined together to form a unit which will possess the strength for its intended use and which may be produced economically.

Another object is to provide a traific lane divider which is fabricated in sections for ease in handling and installation and which when installed is readily joined to other sections to form a continuous road divider.

Another object is to provide a traffic lane separator formed from individual fabricated strips or bars of metal stock, welded or otherwise secured together to form a grating like eitect.

Another object of this invention is to provide a trafiic lane separator which permits its installation on eixsting narrow roadways, eliminating loss of valuable roadway space. The divider may be coated with beaded roadway reflector paint, thus eliminating considerable repainting of highway dividing and guiding lines.

Another object is to provide 'a traffic lane separator which will form a pattern that will cause an audible sound upon contact of a moving wheel or tire on the separator, thereby signalling the operator of such vehicle that he is improperly entering a traffic lane of vehicles travelling in a parallel or in an opposing direction.

Another object is to provide a trafic lane separator which may be secured to new roadways, as well as to existing roadways and which may also be secured to steel bridge deckings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the traffic lane of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of same.

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of the cross or transverse bar.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view broken away of the medial longitudinal bar.

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of a modified form of construction. 7

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the divider shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive, attached to a bridge decking, or roadway, formed of spaced longitudinal and transverse ribs.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 in which the bearing bars of the bridge or roadway are positioned at right angles to that shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view partly in section of a modified form.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 8 of a further modification.

FIG. 10 is a View similar to FIG. 8 of another modification, and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the attaching clip as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Reference will first be made to FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive. The road divider generally indicated at 1-2 is formed of a pair of longitudinally extending bars or rails 1'4 each of rectangular shape in cross section to which are secured in spaced relation cross or transverse bars 16 and end cross bars 18. The cross bars 16 and end cross bars 18 are of identical shape and construction except that the end cross bars 18 are provided with spaced openings 20'.

divider The cross bars 16 and end cross bars 18 are each shaped to form a short fiat top central horizontal portion 22 and downwardly inclined fiat top portions 24 extending outwardly from the central flat portion 22. The opposite outer ends of each of the cross bars have an inverted L-shaped cutout or recess 26 which engages the longitudinal bars or rails 14 and is permanently secured thereto by welding or the like as indicated at .28. The cross bars 16 and end cross bars 18 are each provided centrally thereof with a slot or recess 30 which opens downwardly and within which is secured a longitudinal median bar 32. The median bar '32 is provided with space-d cutouts or slots 34 which are open at the top and which are in spaced alignment with the slots 30 of the cross bars 16 to be interengaged therewith as best shown in FIG. 1. The cross bars 16 are permanently secured thereto by welding or the like as indicated at 36. The opposite ends of the median bar 32 are provided with upper L-shaped cutout 38 to engage the slots 30 in the end cross bars 18 and to lie flush with the outer vertical wall 40 of the end cross bars 18. The opposite ends of the median strip are likewise permanently secured by welding as at 42 to the end cross bars. The divider 12 is thus formed to provide an integral unit composed of two outer side bars and a median bar all connected by spaced cross bars and opposite end bars. The divider 12 may be of any length desired but is preferably of a length so that it may be transported and easily handled. I have found that lengths of approximately four -feet are highly desirable.

The lengths of the road divider will be designated as sections and adjacent sections are connected together by passing a bolt or other fastening element through the openings 20- of adjacently placed sections, or it may be secured by welding or may be placed adjacent each other without fastening. Thus when the sections are placed adjacent each other, the end cross bar I18 of one section will be adjacent to and in contact with the end cross bar .18 of the adjacent section and the openings 20 of each will be in alignment .for passage of the connecting bolt.

The sections of the road divider are secured in the highway or road preferably centrally of the width of the road and the sections 1 2 are embedded preferably in iresh concrete of the road and are permanently bonded or secured thereto as best shown in \FIG. 1 adjacent sections being joined together as previously described. The depth intowhich the divider 12 is sunk into the roadway may vary but in all instances the upper portions of the cross bars 16 and 18 and the median bar 32 are exposed so that the structure may serve as a road divider. The longitudinal bars or rails '14 are also provided with spaced openings 15 along the length thereof, which openings are in the lower portion of the rail embedded in the road bed and said openings become filled with the road bed material to further anchor the road divider to the road bed. If desired, bars may be inserted in said openings to serve as addition-a1 anchors to anchor the road divider to the road bed.

FIG. 5 shows a modification in which in lieu of the two spaced longitudinal bars 14 there is provided a substantial U-shaped base 44 having upwardly turned side walls 46 which form the longitudinal rails to which are secured the cross bars 16 and end cross bars 18 in the manner heretofore described. The base 44 is provided with spaced openings 48 which receive anchoring bolts for securement of same to an existing concrete wood or steel bridge flooring or roadway. in all other respects the divider is like that previously described. The base 44 extends the full length of the divider section.

FIG. 6 shows the divider 12 described in FIGS. 1 to 4 and same is attained to a bridge decking generally indicated at 50. The bridge decking which is of general construction and forms no part of this invention has a plurality of longitudinally extending bearing bars 52 connected by cross bars 54 all Welded together. Longitudi nal bars 56 are also welded in spaced relation to the cross bars 54. The divider 12 of this invention is positioned on said bridge decking so that the longitudinal rails or bars 14 are parallel with the bearing bars 52 and the divider is permanently secured thereto in the following manner. Welded to the inner Walls of the rails 14 of the divider 12 is a clip member 53 shown in FIG. 11. Said clip has a vertical Wall 60 and an inwardly extending inclined wall 62 which is provided with a slot 64 extending upwardly into a portion of the vertical wall 60' of the clip. The vertical portion '60 is welded as at 66 to the inner Wall of the side rails 14 so that the slotted portion 64 of the vertical wall 60 is below the level of the bottom of the side rails 14 as best shown in FIG. 6. The clips 58 are thus secured to the divider 12 on each side thereof at desired intervals, so that when the divider is positioned on the bridge decking the slots 64 will engage the cross bars 54 of the bridge decking and will be straddled by the clips. The inclined portions 62 of the clips are welded to the cross bars54 adjacent the slot 64 as at 68 to anchor the divider to the bridge decking. The sections of the divider being joined as previously described.

FIG. 7 shows a modification in which the bearing bars 52a of the bridge decking extend transversely of the line of traific instead of longitudinally as in FIG. 6. In this modification the divider 12 is positioned transversely of the bearing bars 52a of the bridge decking. In this case the attaching clips 58 are secured as by welding to one of the intermediate bars 56a running parallel to the bearing bars of the bridge decking, or same may be secured to the bearing bar 520.

FIG. 8 shows a modification in which the longitudinal rails 14b of the divider are each L shaped having holes to receive anchoring bolts.

FIG. 9 shows a modification in which the longitudinal rails 14c of the divider are each of inverted T shape and have holes to accommodate anchoring bolts.

FIG. is a modification showing a substantially U- shaped bottom cross bar 70-Whose opposite vertical portions 72 are Welded as at 73 to the inside of the longitudinal side members 14. The U-shaped bottom cross bar being embedded in the road surface. Such U-shaped bars 70 may be spaced one foot apart along the length of the divider.

In the various modifications the remaining construction such as the transverse bars and the central longitudinal bar being as previously described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive.

The upper surfaces of the longitudinal and cross bars of the divider may be coated with beaded roadway reflector paint and since there is little traffic on the divider the reflector paint will not wear as is usual where such a paint is used on highway dividing and guiding lines.

The construction and pattern of the divider is such that when a moving wheel or tire rides on the divider a sound will be produced which will serve as a signal to the driver that he is on the divider and hence permit him to right the motor vehicle and stay in the proper traflic lane.

The width of the divider is preferably 10" permitting its installation on existing narrow roadways, eliminating loss of valuable roadway space.

Various changes may be made from the foregoing With out departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A road divider adapted to produce an audible sound when the tire of a vehicle passes thereover, said divider comprising a plurality of spaced vertical extending longitudinal rails, a plurality of separate crossbars each having inverted L-shaped cutouts at their ends engaging said longitudinal rails and permanently secured thereto, said crossbars each having a central slot facing downwardly, a separate longitudinally extending median bar having spaced slots opening upwardly adapted for engagement Wit-h the slots of said crossbars and permanently secured thereto, said crossbars each having a central horizontal substantially flat top portion and outwardly and downwardly gradually sloping opposite substantially flat top portions so constructed and arranged that an audible sound will be produced by the passage of the tire thereover without puncturing said tire, said longitudinal rails each having a height greater than the full height of the crossbars and extending a distance substantially below the bottom plane of the crossbars, the top portions of said crossbars extending above the top plane of the horizontal rails with the central horizontal substantially flat top portions of said cross-bars projecting above the longitudinal median bar and comprising the uppermost portions of the road divider.

2. In a structure defined in claim 1 in which the thickness of each of the longitudinal rails is substantially of the thickness of each of the crossbars.

3. In a structure defined in claim 1 in which the crossbars at the opposite ends of the road divider are provided with spaced openings to permit connecting same to adjacent crossbars of adjacent road dividers.

4. In a structure of the character described comprising a trafiic lane divider connected to a bridge decking, said bridge decking having a plurality of spaced bars, said divider comprising a plurality of spaced vertical extending longitudinal rails, a plurality of separate crossbars each having inverted L-shaped cutouts at their ends engaging said longitudinal rails and permanently secured thereto, said crossbars each having a central slot facing downwardly, a separate longitudinally extending median bar having spaced slots opening upwardly adapted for engagement with the slots of said crossbars and permanently secured thereto, said crossbars each having a central horizontal substantially flat top portion and outwardly and downwardly gradually sloping opposite substantially flat top portions so constructed and arranged that an audible sound will be produced by the passage of the tire thereover without puncturing said tire, said longitudinal rails each having a height greater than the full height of the crossbars and extending a distance substantially below the bottom plane of the crossbars, the top portions of said crossbars extending above the top plane of the longitudinal rails with the central horizontal substantially flat top portions of said crossbars projecting above the longitudinal median bar and comprising the uppermost portions of the road divider, said longitudinal rails being supported on the spaced bars of the bridge decking, a clip fixedly secured to said rails, said clip having a slot straddling one of the bars of the bridge decking and being secured thereto, and means for permanently securing said clip to said bar of the bridge decking.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 172,324 Wiswell May 25, 1954 1,158,154 Albree Oct 26, 1915 2,118,331 Tarof May 24, 1938 2,271,920 Lachman Feb. 3, 1942 2,286,757 Nagin June 16, 1942 2,306,520 Bunker Dec. 29, 1942 2,313,600 Talty Mar. 9, 1943 2,384,303 Heath Sept. 4, 1945 2,931,279 Wiswell Apr. 5, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 564,707 Germany Nov. 22, 1932 OTHER REFERENCES Popular Science, p. 89, December 1947.

American Society of Civil Engineers-Proc., v. 80, N. 559, December 1954, pp. 14 and 17.

Roads and Engineering Construction, Aug. 12, 1955, pp. 35-38 and 42. 

1. A ROAD DIVIDER ADAPTED TO PRODUCE AN AUDIBLE SOUND WHEN THE TIRE OF A VEHICLE PASSES THEREOVER, SAID DIVIDER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED VERTICAL EXTENDING LONGITUDINAL RAILS, A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE CROSSBARS EACH HAVING INVERTED L-SHAPED CUTOUTS AT THEIR ENDS ENGAGING SAID LONGITUDINAL RAILS AND PERMANENTLY SECURED THERETO, SAID CROSSBARS EACH HAVING A CENTRAL SLOT FACING DOWNWARDLY, A SEPARATE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING MEDIAN BAR HAVING SPACED SLOTS OPENING UPWARDLY ADAPTED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SLOTS OF SAID CROSSBARS AND PERMANENTLY SECURED THERETO, SAID CROSSBARS EACH HAVING A CENTRAL HORIZONTAL SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT TOP PORTION AND OUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY GRADUALLY SLOPING OPPOSITE SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT TOP PORTIONS SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED THAT AN AUDIBLE SOUND WILL BE PRODUCED BY THE PASSAGE OF THE TIRE THEREOVER WITHOUT PUNCTURING SAID TIRE, SAID LONGITUDINAL RAILS EACH HAVING A HEIGHT GREATER THAN THE FULL HEIGHT OF THE CROSSBARS AND EXTENDING A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE BOTTOM PLANE OF THE CROSSBARS, THE TOP PORTIONS OF SAID CROSSBARS EXTENDING ABOVE THE TOP PLANE OF THE HORIZONTAL RAILS WITH THE CENTRAL HORIZONTAL SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT TOP PORTIONS OF SAID CROSSBARS PROJECTING ABOVE THE LONGITUDINAL MEDIAN BAR AND COMPRISING THE UPPERMOST PORTIONS OF THE ROAD DIVIDER. 